CELEB BB BACK ON

There’s more changes in the pipeline and there’s going to be some shocks this week

Show Source

Producers had led the group of big names to believe they would simply play the role of Big Brother – bossing around the 12 unknown housemates.

But they have now decided the celebs – including Jimmy Carr, Matt Lucas, Malcolm McLaren and Ian Wright – will also enter the house.

The U-turn comes after last-ditch talks which followed two weeks of testing the show out with “guinea pig” contestants.

We can reveal the stars will not only end up in the house but will also have to take part in the tasks.

They have also been warned that they too may face eviction by Big Brother – sparking speculation that the show could end up becoming exactly like Celebrity Big Brother.

Last night one show source said: “Things haven’t gone as well as we thought during the guinea pig week and it was looking like it was going to get a bit dull.

“Now things have been changed around a bit and the new plans make it appear that the show will still be called Celebrity Hijack but will increasingly become more like a normal celeb version of Big Brother as it goes along.

“There’s more changes in the pipeline and there’s going to be some shocks this week.”

Following the racist controversy in the last Celebrity Big Brother, Channel 4 chiefs devised the new watered-down version of the show.

There will be 12 housemates competing for the £50,000 prize who have been hand-picked for being “exceptional” young scientists, artists, athletes, musicians and entrepreneurs.

Producers say they chose talented youngsters because they are on the look-out for the next “Lily Allen or Lewis Hamilton”.

Celebs were originally there simply to organise tasks, make rules and talk to housemates in the Diary Room just like Big Brother until the U-turn by producers.

In a memo shown to the Daily Star Sunday, the celebs were told: “We would like to remind all potential Celebrity Hijackers that with power comes responsibility.

“You are responsible for making this a series to remember. Big Brother will be watching you.”

Our source added: “There are going to be a lot of surprises but not just for the housemates.

“Celebrities are going to have to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty as well, though they are not aware of that yet. There will be a lot more to this than they expect.”

Art critic Brian Sewell, Joan Rivers, artists Jake and Dinos Chapman and Bo’ Selecta! character Keith Lemon are also on board for the show, hosted by Dermot O’Leary.

It will be launched on Channel 4 on Thursday before switching to E4 for the rest of the series.